Auf dem Weg zum Netzwerkunternehmen? Anmerkungen zu einem problematischen Konzept am Beispiel der deutschen Automobilkonzerne

"Das Netzwerk-Konzept ist zu einem der meist gebrauchten sozialwissenschaftlichen Ansätze zur Analyse des Strukturwandels von Unternehmen und Industrien in der sich globalisierenden Wirtschaft geworden. In seiner radikalsten Ausprägung behauptet es das Ende der traditionellen Unternehmung, welche sich in ein internationales Netzwerk von Projekten und Kommunikationsbeziehungen auflöst. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die empirische Relevanz dieses Konzepts am Beispiel der sich internationalisierenden deutschen Automobilunternehmen. Die Ergebnisse sind widersprüchlich, insofern es die Netzwerk-These unterstützende und ihr entgegenstehende Tendenzen gibt. Diese widersprüchlichen empirischen Ergebnisse führen uns zu einigen kritischen Schlussbemerkungen zu dem Netzwerkansatz." (Autorenreferat)"The network concept has become one of the most fashionable approaches in the social sciences to analysis of the structural transformation of firms and industries in the globalising economy. In its most radical form, the network approach predicts the end of the traditional firm, transforming it into an international network of projects and communication processes. The present article examines the empirical evidence for this concept in the case of the German automobile companies as they internationalise. Conflicting results emerge. Some elements support, while others contradict the network-thesis. These contradictory empirical results lead us to some final critical remarks on the network concept." (author's abstract

Riders, Rights and Collective Action

The aim of this chapter is to develop a conceptual framework for analysing the collective actions and organisational practices of delivery and transportation gig-workers, building on Rosa Luxemburg’s colonisation concept and on the power resources theory employed in current trade union analysis. The empirical bases are recent surveys and studies on platform work, the analysis of websites and social media communities for the collective action of platform workers and conversations with platform activists in several European countries. The specific characteristics of platform workers’ collective actions and organisational practices are examined with a view to identifying their potential and the opportunities they afford in the light of different trade union power resources

Génesis política y nuevas coberturas de la Directiva revisada sobre comités de empresa europeos

The creation of a body of participation rights for European employees in transnational companies constitutes a major challenge in the road to the construction of the European system of industrial relations. The adoption of the Directive 94/45/EC in 22th September 1994 opened the way for establishing more than 800 European works councils in transnational firms with operations in, al least, two national members of the European Union. Once tested the validity of the regulation for the promotion of information and consultation practices (and identified its limitations), a complex political debate was initatied on the revision the Directive. As a result of this debate, a new legal piece on European works council was adopted by the European Parlament and the European Council in 6th May 2009: the Directive 2009/38/CE. The aim of the article is to analyse the contribution of the successful Directive 94/45/CE, to assess the expected impact of the revised Directive and to evaluate the political process which has led to the adoption of the new regulation on information and consultation of employees in transnational firms. The exercise goes far beyond the study of firm-level European industrial relations. First, the tensions behind the regulatory process which resulted into the Directive 2009/38/CE are quite similar to those which hinder and/or promote advances at sectoral and cross-sectoral European industrial relations. And second, the analysis sheds light to the complexity of the political decision-making instruments and mechanisms in the Enlarged Europe.La definición de un cuerpo de derechos de participación para los trabajadores de empresas transnacionales constituye uno de los retos de mayor magnitud a los que se ha enfrentado la construcción del edificio de las relaciones laborales europeas. La Directiva 94/45/CE de 22 de septiembre de 1994 abrió el camino para la constitución de más de 800 comités de empresa europeos en empresas con actividades en más de un país miembro de la Unión Europea. Una vez testada su validez como impulsora de prácticas de información y consulta a los trabajadores y detectadas también sus limitaciones, se inicia un complejo debate político que ha culminado con la revisión de la normativa a comienzos de 2009, a través de la nueva Directiva 2009/38/CE. El objetivo de este artículo es examinar las aportaciones del proceso de revisión de la exitosa Directiva 94/45/CE, a la cual sustituye y analizar los intercambios protagonizados por las instituciones europeas, los socios nacionales y los agentes sociales, a lo largo del proceso político que ha conducido a la actual regulación. El interés de este ejercicio trasciende el estudio de las relaciones laborales europeas a escala de empresa. En primer lugar, porque las tensiones que se encuentran detrás del proceso de definición normativa que conduce a la Directiva 2009/38/CE son similares a las que bloquean o impulsan procesos distintos a otros niveles de las relaciones laborales europeas. Y en segundo lugar, porque este análisis arroja luz sobre la complejidad de los mecanismos de toma de decisiones en el contexto de la Europa Ampliada

Diálogo social y negociación colectiva a escala sectorial en la Unión Europea. Limitaciones y perspectivas

The lack of stable and clear structures for dialogue and negotiation at sectoral level represents a fundamental problem threatening future developments in European industrial relations. In fact, whereas interprofessional and firm level European industrial relations underwent an important improvement after the Social Protocol of Maastricht, advances in sectoral level have been much more limited. This article attempts to analyze the two different but not mutually exclusive ways to develop this level of dialogue and negotiation: the European Sectoral Social Dialogue and the various trade union initiatives for transnational coordination of collective bargaining. We will present the current situation of the debate on these topics and we will connect our arguments with the consequences the latests economic and political projects of the European Union (Economic and Monetary Union and enlargement) are having on European industrial relations

Contested industrial democracy discourses in transnational companies. The case of the ArcelorMittal European Social Dialogue Group

This article discusses the potential of European transnational company agreements for developing industrial democracy at European company level. It describes the experience of the ArcelorMittal European Social Dialogue Group, established in 2009 through a European transnational company agreement as an innovative channel for trade union involvement in corporate decision-making. The conceptual framework draws on a cross-national comparison of industrial democracy discourses in two European countries, Germany and Spain. A qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with trade union representatives and management is used to identify divergent national discourses of employee voice giving rise to common misunderstandings of industrial democracy at European level. The findings illustrate the persisting communication challenges faced by trade unions when engaging in employee representation structures at transnational company level. The article also shows that trade union representatives are able to adapt their national discourses on industrial democracy under the influence of European practice

Los movimientos sociales en la revitalización sindical

Los sindicatos españoles están en declive debido a su pérdida progresiva de afiliados y de influencia social y política. Simultáneamente, los movimientos sociales están desplazando a las organizaciones sindicales en la expresión de las demandas sociales. Este artículo se dedica a explorar los efectos de las alianzas entre movimientos sociales y sindicatos, con vistas a la revitalización de estos últimos. Para ello, se recogen aspectos relevantes de la literatura sobre revitalización sindical, se señalan experiencias de colaboración recientes y se trata de identificar actores para la formación de coaliciones. El artículo finaliza argumentando la necesidad de explorar nuevas estrategias para detener la pérdida de poder sindical.Spanish trade unions are in a decline process due to loss of membership and diminished social and political influence. Simultaneously, social movements are displacing trade unions in the social expression of citizen´s demands. This article aims to explore the effects of the alliances between trade unions and social movements, regarding union revitalization. To this end, relevant issues of the revitalization strategies have been included. Moreover, recent collaborative experiences are given and some potential actors have been identified. The article finishes pointing out the need of exploring new strategies to stem the loss of trade union power

Soziale Bewegungen und gewerkschaftliche Erneuerung in Spanien

Die spanischen Gewerkschaften erleiden einen kontinuierlichen Verlust an Mitgliedern und gesellschaftlichem Einfluss. Gleichzeitig haben neue soziale Bewegungen die Rolle des sozialen Protests und der politischen Opposition übernommen. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Wirkungen und Möglichkeiten von Allianzen zwischen Gewerkschaften und sozialen Bewegungen im Kontext der Debatten um gewerkschaftliche Erneuerung und Bewegungsgewerkschaften. Unter Rückgriff auf den Machtressourcenansatz werden die Chancen und Dilemmata einer verstärkten Zusammenarbeit von sozialen Bewegungen und Gewerkschaften im Kontext der lang anhaltenden Wirtschaftskrise in Spanien ausgelotet. Aus gewerkschaftlicher Sicht repräsentieren die neuen Protestbewegungen gleichzeitig eine Konkurrenz und Bedrohung sowie eine Chance zur Erneuerung durch die Mobilisierung neuer komplementärer Machtressourcen.Spanish trade unions continue to suffer a continuous loss of membership and social influence. At the same time, new social movements have taken up the mantle of social protest and political opposition. This paper examines the effects and possibilities of alliances between trade unions and these new social movements in the context of the debates surrounding trade union revitalization and social movement unionism. In the context of the ongoing economic crisis in Spain, the paper applies the power resources approach to explore opportunities and dilemmas of increased cooperation between social movements and trade unions. From a trade union point of view, the new protest movements represent on the one hand competition and threat but on the other hand an opportunity for renewal by mobilizing new complementary power resources